Hello Card Set

Happy Hump Day! Popping back in with a clean and simple card set today. I've been addicted to making sets of cards lately and this design was so easy, I thought it would look great in these yummy Spring colors. 

The Simon Says Stamp 100# card stock is just dreamy. I stacked the hello die cut five times to add some nice dimension and added a gold glitter heart for good measure. The background was done by just using Versamark ink to stamp the wide stripes on the card front for a tone-on-tone look. I'm really loving this stamp, by the way. Think it might just be one of my faves!

I am pleased with how these turned out, which was a nice feeling considering all of my epic watercolor fails lately in the latest Online Card Classes Watercolor for Card Makers class. Haha! 

Thank you for stopping by! 

 

*Simon Says Cling Rubber Stamp WIDE STRIPES BACKGROUND SSS101383	*Paper Smooches QUOTE TAG Wise Dies Kim Hughes	*Paper Smooches HEARTS Wise Dies Kim Hughes	*Simon Says Stamp Card Stock 100# MINT MT18
*Simon Says Stamp Card Stock 100# AUDREY BLUE AB19	*Simon Says Stamp Card Stock 100# DOLL PINK DP17	*Simon Says Stamp Card Stock 100# COTTON CANDY CC16	*DCWV Cardstock 6 x 6 GLITTER NEUTRAL Paper Stack Printed Matstack MS-019-00032
*Versamark WATERMARK Rubber Stamp Emboss Chalk Resist INK PAD	*VERSAMARK Watermark Emboss Ink Pad REFILL	*Martha Stewart MINI SCORING BOARD Score Craft Tool 42-05013 New 2012	*Fiskars AMPLIFY 10" RazorEdge Fabric Scissors

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Watercolor for Card Makers Online Card Classes

Happy Friday! I know it's been a while, but I'm back with a couple of cards I made while practicing some cool watercolor techniques in the latest online card class, Watercolor for Card Makers. I really do enjoy these classes. This is the sixth one I've taken! I highly recommend them, as even the most seasoned card makers will take a lot from these classes.  I was especially excited for this one because watercoloring is so hot right now and this is the technique I struggle with the most. It's the control factor I have a hard time with and I'm doing my best to "let it go". I will let you know how that goes. Anyway, on to the cards. 

I was inspired by the fabulous Laura Bassen. Her card in class is just stunning. Oh, I do love my Distress Inks!  For the second card, I had a piece of a "practice" run that I did not want to waste. I just stuck it behind the negative of my die cut, added a strip of glitter cardstock, and done. I started to add a Dymo label sentiment, but I thought it took away from the watercolor piece, so I decided to just leave it alone. 

I will be back with more cards and will add my supply links later today. I am trying to get my inlinkz back up to date after being gone so long. Have a wonderful and creative day!

Thanks Paper Smooches Card

Hi y'all! I am back from a very unexpected blogging break. If you don't feel like listening to me ramble, feel free to scroll on down to the card. Promise I won't be offended. 

First, a week before my oldest son's 13th birthday(yes, I am officially the mom of a teenager, ACK!!), he had to have an emergency appendectomy! Needless to say, mom mode took over and I was a basket case. One afternoon he called from school saying he was sick and by 6:30 p.m. he was in surgery. He handled it like a champ. Way better than his mom.

I have also been dealing with a mystery "thing" on my chin and have been to numerous dermatologists and found out...nothing. No one can seem to tell me what the thing is. Cultures, biopsies, you name it, it's been done. I have never taken so many antibiotics and tried so many topical meds in my life! It turns into this monstrous, red, painful, clear fluid-filled GINORMOUS lump, goes away, comes back. I know, disgusting, right? I can tell you that it has taken over my life for many weeks and there have been times when the "thing" gets so out of control I can't even leave the house. I became very depressed for a while, as I have always been fanatical about my skin. I do THINK it is gone now, for the most part. I don't think I will ever know what it was. I apologize if I've shared TMI, but I really felt the need to explain and vent.  

So...now that I have a nifty new blog design and I no longer feel like a scary monster, I feel a fresh new start is in order. Although I haven't posted much, I have been working like crazy in the studio. I have tons to share with you.  In my previous life, before kids, I was an elementary school teacher. I dabbled in middle and high school, as well.  Although I don't have plans to go back any time soon, I do miss the teaching aspect. I do love to teach.  I love to learn just as much and I would love to share some of the many things I have learned in this amazing industry. I am truly amazed at the talent in the blogosphere and inspiration is just everywhere. Have I mentioned my addiction to Pinterest? Anyway, I would like to start doing video tutorials and I could use your help. What kind of tutorials do you like? What kind of techniques do you want to see? Or, do you just like fast-motion, start to finish card videos put to music? Are you a beginner and just want to know where to start? I would love your input on this.  After all, you are the ones I will be making the videos for! 

Having said ALL that, there will be many changes around here and I am looking forward to them! 

So, after poking around on Pinterest recently, I decided to start a board of patterns. So, I was playing around with these triangles and came up with this (btw, the stamp set I used is one of my favorites EVER; so many options from just one stamp set; definitely a MUST have set).  Just one problem. I messed up the pattern! I accidentally stamped one of the open triangles over a green triangle instead of the aqua one.  Oh, well. I still like it. Super fast to make and I just may make some more in different color variations. 

Kim Hughes, owner/creator of Paper Smooches is offering up a FAB prize just for linking up a thank you card. You have until midnight MT tonight to join in. Check it out here. 

I'll be back soon! Happy stamping!

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Getting Your Creative Mojo Back Watercolor Card

So, I've been in a creative slump lately. Hate when that happens. I have figured out a few tricks to get those creative juices flowing again.  One of them is to get out the craft mat, the distress inks, some watercolor paper, and just play. I don't think about creating a finished project. I just play around until I start feeling inspired and often times something pretty comes out of it.

This card came out of a creative play session. I only used two colors of Distress inks here, Picked Raspberry and Squeezed Lemonade. I started by using my water brushes to go over the whole panel with Picked Raspberry. I then went in with the Squeezed Lemonade.  I just love how the colors mixed and made some places orange! It was pretty bright at first, so I decided to soften it up with some white pigment ink.  I put a sentiment on it and called it done!  Although my play session took a while, the card itself literally took minutes from start to finish.  I have a ton of panels that, let's just say, don't look too hot, but that's okay.  Out of it came something I can recreate in a bunch of different colors and greetings to put together a nice set.  So easy to mass produce this one. This picture really doesn't do it justice. Much prettier in real life.  I am going to see if I can get a better picture to replace this one. The light was just not cooperating with me.

One more thing.  I mailed out a card for the first time in a long time yesterday.  It felt so good!  It is strange that I spend so much time making cards and never mail them out.  Shame on me!! I'm going to make an effort to mail one out at least once or twice a week.  Are you good at mailing them out? Do you do it often?  If not, go mail one out. Who doesn't love happy mail?!




SUPPLIES USED:

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